Qatar Airways/Thai HKT-BKK-DOH-CDG FCO-DOH-BKK-HKT in J
Sep 25, 2006, 7:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Somewhere warm
Posts: 170
Qatar Airways/Thai HKT-BKK-DOH-CDG FCO-DOH-BKK-HKT in J
HKT – BKK
02 September
TG986 1500/1625
Airbus A330
Y class
Nothing special to report about this 1 hour 10 minute flight – a snack box was distributed shortly after take-off that consisted of a croissant and orange juice. Great views of Bangkok when landing and a satellite stand, meaning a quick bus ride to the terminal. Luggage appeared within 10 minutes.
BKK-DOH
02 September
QR611 2045/2345
Airbus A330
J Class
Check-in opened at 5.45pm and there was already a large queue waiting – there was some confusion as the Business Class line sign was reading Economy Class and one of the middle counters (Economy) was displaying Business Class.
Check-in was swift and we were given invitations to the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. We headed to the 2 storey lounge and found the lower floor to be packed, however the Upper level was quiet and a nice place to relax.
Boarding was chaotic with the gate agent refusing to board any J Class passengers, instead telling them to wait until the Y Class passengers had boarded however after a few minutes of waiting another agent came and started processing the J class pax.
Entry to the aircraft was through 1L and we found the J class cabin to be fitted out in a maroon/grey color scheme. The seats were the new shell style with huge TV screens fitted to the back of each seat. IFE was AVOD with about 60 movies and a huge range of CD’s with a personal playlist option. Maroon amenity kits were also handed out (Aigner). An all male crew were serving J and they didn’t miss a beat throughout the flight. Departure was on time and we got some great views of the lights of Bangkok.
The meal was elaborate (apologies that I forgot to take the menu, however the menu for the return flights are listed below and the beverages were the same throughout), but consisted of smoked fish and prawns as appetizer, Rack of Lamb as a main (there were two other choices) and a nice Orange Mousse. An Arabian meal option was available for each course. Lights were dimmed soon after the meal service finished.
Prior to landing a gourmet sandwich was served with coffee/tea. Landing was smooth and as there are no air-bridges in Doha, buses took us to the terminal (separate for J/Y class). The J class lounge was packed and the rest of the terminal was a zoo with lots of connecting flights. The terminal is very small and not the ideal way to connectwait.
DOH-CDG
03 September
QR21 0110/0715
Airbus A330
J Class
Back onto the buses out to the aircraft – this flight had a first class on it, with only 2 passengers, however J and Y were full. The seats were similar to the flight from Bangkok, however the screen was noticeably smaller (about half the size) – but the IFE was AVOD. Departure was delayed almost 90 minutes due to late cargo arriving. Light brown Aigner amenity kits were handed out.
I don’t remember much about the flight as I feel asleep straight after take-off and only woke 45 minutes before landing – the seats recline almost flat, but at an angle, so every now and then you wake up almost halfway down the seat and have to climb back up. The night snack on departure was Caviar with Melba Toast (couldn’t believe it myself but was unable to keep my eyes open long enough to enjoy it, however my wife said it was yummy!).
Breakfast was a choice of Omelette, Ricotta filled Pancakes or an Arabian breakfast (Apologies again for forgetting to grab the menu). We circled Paris for about 30 minutes and ended up arriving about 45 minutes after scheduled arrival time. After a very long taxi, disembarkation was quick and there were no lines at Immigration. Baggage took over an hour to appear on the carousel and did not appear to be sorted by priority.
FCO-DOH
20 September
QR82 1255/1915
Airbus A300
J Class
Qatar use the British Airways lounge in Rome (limited range of food/drinks and little reading material, perhaps due to BA only having short haul flights from Rome, but great views of the apron).
Boarding was quick and orderly – the A300 is fitted with the old style J seats which I found to be very comfortable. IFE was a portable DVD player with a choice of 12 movies or a movie on the main screen. Dark brown Aigner amenity kits were handed out before departure.
Take-off was on time and we had some great views of Italy and Greece/Turkey during the flight. Lunch was served shortly after take-off and was one of the nicest meals I have had on a flight in a long time.
BEVERAGE MENU
Liquors and Spirits
Aperitifs and Cocktails
Campari
Martini Rosso
Martini Extra Dry
Bloody Mary
Screwdriver
Dry Martini
Vodkatini
Black Russian
Champagne Cocktail
Bucks Fizz
Cuba Libre
Spritzer
Shandy
Whiskies
Glenfiddich Single Malt
Chivas Regal Scotch
Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch
Jack Daniels
Spirits
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Smirnoff Vodka
Bacardi Rum Carta Blanca
Liquers, Port and Cognac
Camus XO Superieur
Tia Maria
Drambuie
Cointreau
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Dow’s Tawny Port
Mineral Water
Carbonated mineral water
Still mineral water
Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices
Orange
Tomato
Apple
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Light
Sprite
Fanta Orange
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Soda Water
WINES AND CHAMPAGNES
Champagne
Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut NV
White Wine
Gravitas 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
Domaine Caillot 2003 Mersault, France
Red Wine
Chateau Smith Haut Lafite 2001 Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classe, France
Terricci IGT 1998 Azienda Agricola Lanciola, Italy
Deep Woods Estate 2004 Shiraz, Margaret River, Australia
LUNCH
Hors d’Oeuvre
Goose Liver on a melba toast and apple slice with Marinated King Prawns served on a medley of vegetables
Or
Symphony of Gourmet Cold Arabic Mezze
Traditional selection of hummus, babaganoush, stuffed vein leaves, labneh balls, mixed pickles and tabouleh.
Fresh Seasonal Salad
Choice of Entrees
Fresh Oven Baked Salmon Fillet
Stuffed with herbs and saffron
Served with a creamy dill sauce
Grilled fresh pepper and basmati rice
Succulent Mixed Grill
Lamb cutlet, chicken medallion with herbs
Brochette of beef with mixed peppers
Served with an onion sauce
Grilled Tuscany vegetables and Parisienne potatoes
Chicken Picatta
On a bed of grilled vegetables
Served with a rich tomato and olive ragout
Broccoli, stewed onion and polenta cake
Light Option
Trio of Colored Gnocchi
Accompanied with a basil cream sauce
International Selection of Cheese
Dessert
Rich Chocolate and Orange Cake
Assorted Warm Bread Selection
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
Luxury Chocolates (Godiva)
REFRESHMENTS
Selection of Gourmet Sandwiches
Delicate Pastries
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
The Hors d’Oeuvre and Mixed Grill were excellent and my wine glass was constantly topped up by the very attentive crew. Landing was on time and it was back on the bus to the terminal. We spent a night in Doha to have a look around and found it to be interesting enough for a 1 or 2 night stop, but not much more.
DOH-BKK
21 September
QR612 2025/0715
Airbus A330
J Class
Doha Airport is very small considering the size of the airline, which makes it easy to navigate, but can quickly become very busy and crowded. Check-in was swift and we proceeded through immigration to the lounge, quite relived to find it almost empty. Someone definitely knows their wine in Qatar Airways – apart from the good selection onboard, I was pleasantly surprised to find Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir from New Zealand available in the lounge (this is a superb wine produced in quite small quantities, and is rarely seen outside New Zealand).
Before heading for the gate, a quick tour through the very small Duty Free revealed itself to have quite good prices for perfumes, alcohol, etc. Back onto the bus for the short drive to the aircraft (the one with the red painted Asian Games livery) and came across the J class set-up with very large seat-back TV’s and AVOD IFE.
After a quick taxi we took off immediately and dinner was soon served after pre-dinner drinks (Beverage Menu is the same as above):
DINNER
Appetizer
Sesame Chicken Slice on Wok Stir Fried Cabbage
Vegetable Maki Roll with pickled Ginger and Wasabi Mayonnaise
Prawns infused with Coriander on a Bed of Asian Mushrooms
Surrounded by a Medley of Garnishes
Arabic Appetizer
Tabouleh, Hommus, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Kibbeh, Mixed Pickled Vegetables
Surrounded by a Medley of Garnishes
Seasonal Salad
Served with Balsamic and Olive Oil
Choice of Entrees
Thai Green Curry
Served with Stir Fried Vegetables
Steamed Rice with Fried Onions
Grilled Prawn Kebab
Accompanied with Tomato and Coriander Sauce
Sautéed Vegetables and Rice
Beef Stroganoff
Served with Turned Carrot
Pumpkin and Marrow
Buttered Fettuccini
Light Option
Vegetable Wontons
On a bed of Stir Fried Vegetables
Served with an Asian Glaze
International Cheese Selection
Served with Crudites
Dessert
Strawberry Cheese Cake
With Strawberry Coulis
Selection of Warm Rolls
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
90 minutes out of Bangkok, breakfast was served:
BREAKFAST
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Morning Energizer
Seasonal Fresh Fruits
Choice of Entrees
Omelette with Chicken and Chives
Served with Potato Cheese Cake
Sautéed Mushrooms and
Grilled Tomato Herbs
Shrimp Wontons
On a bed of Stir Fried Vegetables
And Vermicelli Noodles
Traditional Arab Breakfast
Labneh Balls, Mixed Olives
White Arabic Chees
Served with Condiments and Arabic Bread
Morning Bakery Selection
Warm Toast, Croissants, Fruit Muffins and Rolls
Preserves
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
Landing in BKK was smooth and the last time I will be at Don Muang before the move to Suvarnabhumi Airport later this week. Thankfully the lines at Immigration were short and we were quickly walking over to the Domestic Terminal which looked like it was almost packed up ready for the move.
BKK-HKT
22 September
TG209 1045/1200
Boeing 747-400
J Class
After a couple of hours in the lounge, it was a quick flight down to Phuket. Interestingly the flight was packed to the gills in both classes, with the F section (which is normally closed) open and full. The configuration was the very old style J, which I hope will disappear soon as it was a reminder why I try to avoid Thai in J until they get their configurations sorted out. A light snack was served before landing.
SUMMARY
Overall, I found Qatar Airways to be superb in every aspect. The cabin crew in particular stood head and shoulders above my recent J class experiences on other, more established airlines - if Qatar are able to maintain their service consistency they will be a force to be reckoned with as they grow. Food and wines were excellent throughout and as I mentioned before, have a surprisingly good wine selection.
Apart from the Doha Airport (which is almost enough of a reason in itself to avoid flying to Qatar, but a new terminal is under construction and a new J/F class terminal is almost completed that will alleviate this problem), I would recommend Qatar Airways as an excellent way to travel.
02 September
TG986 1500/1625
Airbus A330
Y class
Nothing special to report about this 1 hour 10 minute flight – a snack box was distributed shortly after take-off that consisted of a croissant and orange juice. Great views of Bangkok when landing and a satellite stand, meaning a quick bus ride to the terminal. Luggage appeared within 10 minutes.
BKK-DOH
02 September
QR611 2045/2345
Airbus A330
J Class
Check-in opened at 5.45pm and there was already a large queue waiting – there was some confusion as the Business Class line sign was reading Economy Class and one of the middle counters (Economy) was displaying Business Class.
Check-in was swift and we were given invitations to the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge. We headed to the 2 storey lounge and found the lower floor to be packed, however the Upper level was quiet and a nice place to relax.
Boarding was chaotic with the gate agent refusing to board any J Class passengers, instead telling them to wait until the Y Class passengers had boarded however after a few minutes of waiting another agent came and started processing the J class pax.
Entry to the aircraft was through 1L and we found the J class cabin to be fitted out in a maroon/grey color scheme. The seats were the new shell style with huge TV screens fitted to the back of each seat. IFE was AVOD with about 60 movies and a huge range of CD’s with a personal playlist option. Maroon amenity kits were also handed out (Aigner). An all male crew were serving J and they didn’t miss a beat throughout the flight. Departure was on time and we got some great views of the lights of Bangkok.
The meal was elaborate (apologies that I forgot to take the menu, however the menu for the return flights are listed below and the beverages were the same throughout), but consisted of smoked fish and prawns as appetizer, Rack of Lamb as a main (there were two other choices) and a nice Orange Mousse. An Arabian meal option was available for each course. Lights were dimmed soon after the meal service finished.
Prior to landing a gourmet sandwich was served with coffee/tea. Landing was smooth and as there are no air-bridges in Doha, buses took us to the terminal (separate for J/Y class). The J class lounge was packed and the rest of the terminal was a zoo with lots of connecting flights. The terminal is very small and not the ideal way to connectwait.
DOH-CDG
03 September
QR21 0110/0715
Airbus A330
J Class
Back onto the buses out to the aircraft – this flight had a first class on it, with only 2 passengers, however J and Y were full. The seats were similar to the flight from Bangkok, however the screen was noticeably smaller (about half the size) – but the IFE was AVOD. Departure was delayed almost 90 minutes due to late cargo arriving. Light brown Aigner amenity kits were handed out.
I don’t remember much about the flight as I feel asleep straight after take-off and only woke 45 minutes before landing – the seats recline almost flat, but at an angle, so every now and then you wake up almost halfway down the seat and have to climb back up. The night snack on departure was Caviar with Melba Toast (couldn’t believe it myself but was unable to keep my eyes open long enough to enjoy it, however my wife said it was yummy!).
Breakfast was a choice of Omelette, Ricotta filled Pancakes or an Arabian breakfast (Apologies again for forgetting to grab the menu). We circled Paris for about 30 minutes and ended up arriving about 45 minutes after scheduled arrival time. After a very long taxi, disembarkation was quick and there were no lines at Immigration. Baggage took over an hour to appear on the carousel and did not appear to be sorted by priority.
FCO-DOH
20 September
QR82 1255/1915
Airbus A300
J Class
Qatar use the British Airways lounge in Rome (limited range of food/drinks and little reading material, perhaps due to BA only having short haul flights from Rome, but great views of the apron).
Boarding was quick and orderly – the A300 is fitted with the old style J seats which I found to be very comfortable. IFE was a portable DVD player with a choice of 12 movies or a movie on the main screen. Dark brown Aigner amenity kits were handed out before departure.
Take-off was on time and we had some great views of Italy and Greece/Turkey during the flight. Lunch was served shortly after take-off and was one of the nicest meals I have had on a flight in a long time.
BEVERAGE MENU
Liquors and Spirits
Aperitifs and Cocktails
Campari
Martini Rosso
Martini Extra Dry
Bloody Mary
Screwdriver
Dry Martini
Vodkatini
Black Russian
Champagne Cocktail
Bucks Fizz
Cuba Libre
Spritzer
Shandy
Whiskies
Glenfiddich Single Malt
Chivas Regal Scotch
Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch
Jack Daniels
Spirits
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Smirnoff Vodka
Bacardi Rum Carta Blanca
Liquers, Port and Cognac
Camus XO Superieur
Tia Maria
Drambuie
Cointreau
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Dow’s Tawny Port
Mineral Water
Carbonated mineral water
Still mineral water
Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices
Orange
Tomato
Apple
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Light
Sprite
Fanta Orange
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Soda Water
WINES AND CHAMPAGNES
Champagne
Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut NV
White Wine
Gravitas 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
Domaine Caillot 2003 Mersault, France
Red Wine
Chateau Smith Haut Lafite 2001 Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classe, France
Terricci IGT 1998 Azienda Agricola Lanciola, Italy
Deep Woods Estate 2004 Shiraz, Margaret River, Australia
LUNCH
Hors d’Oeuvre
Goose Liver on a melba toast and apple slice with Marinated King Prawns served on a medley of vegetables
Or
Symphony of Gourmet Cold Arabic Mezze
Traditional selection of hummus, babaganoush, stuffed vein leaves, labneh balls, mixed pickles and tabouleh.
Fresh Seasonal Salad
Choice of Entrees
Fresh Oven Baked Salmon Fillet
Stuffed with herbs and saffron
Served with a creamy dill sauce
Grilled fresh pepper and basmati rice
Succulent Mixed Grill
Lamb cutlet, chicken medallion with herbs
Brochette of beef with mixed peppers
Served with an onion sauce
Grilled Tuscany vegetables and Parisienne potatoes
Chicken Picatta
On a bed of grilled vegetables
Served with a rich tomato and olive ragout
Broccoli, stewed onion and polenta cake
Light Option
Trio of Colored Gnocchi
Accompanied with a basil cream sauce
International Selection of Cheese
Dessert
Rich Chocolate and Orange Cake
Assorted Warm Bread Selection
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
Luxury Chocolates (Godiva)
REFRESHMENTS
Selection of Gourmet Sandwiches
Delicate Pastries
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
The Hors d’Oeuvre and Mixed Grill were excellent and my wine glass was constantly topped up by the very attentive crew. Landing was on time and it was back on the bus to the terminal. We spent a night in Doha to have a look around and found it to be interesting enough for a 1 or 2 night stop, but not much more.
DOH-BKK
21 September
QR612 2025/0715
Airbus A330
J Class
Doha Airport is very small considering the size of the airline, which makes it easy to navigate, but can quickly become very busy and crowded. Check-in was swift and we proceeded through immigration to the lounge, quite relived to find it almost empty. Someone definitely knows their wine in Qatar Airways – apart from the good selection onboard, I was pleasantly surprised to find Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir from New Zealand available in the lounge (this is a superb wine produced in quite small quantities, and is rarely seen outside New Zealand).
Before heading for the gate, a quick tour through the very small Duty Free revealed itself to have quite good prices for perfumes, alcohol, etc. Back onto the bus for the short drive to the aircraft (the one with the red painted Asian Games livery) and came across the J class set-up with very large seat-back TV’s and AVOD IFE.
After a quick taxi we took off immediately and dinner was soon served after pre-dinner drinks (Beverage Menu is the same as above):
DINNER
Appetizer
Sesame Chicken Slice on Wok Stir Fried Cabbage
Vegetable Maki Roll with pickled Ginger and Wasabi Mayonnaise
Prawns infused with Coriander on a Bed of Asian Mushrooms
Surrounded by a Medley of Garnishes
Arabic Appetizer
Tabouleh, Hommus, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Kibbeh, Mixed Pickled Vegetables
Surrounded by a Medley of Garnishes
Seasonal Salad
Served with Balsamic and Olive Oil
Choice of Entrees
Thai Green Curry
Served with Stir Fried Vegetables
Steamed Rice with Fried Onions
Grilled Prawn Kebab
Accompanied with Tomato and Coriander Sauce
Sautéed Vegetables and Rice
Beef Stroganoff
Served with Turned Carrot
Pumpkin and Marrow
Buttered Fettuccini
Light Option
Vegetable Wontons
On a bed of Stir Fried Vegetables
Served with an Asian Glaze
International Cheese Selection
Served with Crudites
Dessert
Strawberry Cheese Cake
With Strawberry Coulis
Selection of Warm Rolls
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
90 minutes out of Bangkok, breakfast was served:
BREAKFAST
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Morning Energizer
Seasonal Fresh Fruits
Choice of Entrees
Omelette with Chicken and Chives
Served with Potato Cheese Cake
Sautéed Mushrooms and
Grilled Tomato Herbs
Shrimp Wontons
On a bed of Stir Fried Vegetables
And Vermicelli Noodles
Traditional Arab Breakfast
Labneh Balls, Mixed Olives
White Arabic Chees
Served with Condiments and Arabic Bread
Morning Bakery Selection
Warm Toast, Croissants, Fruit Muffins and Rolls
Preserves
Premium Tea Selection, Hot Chocolate
Coffee – your choice of Regular, Decaffeinated, Espresso, Cappuccino
Landing in BKK was smooth and the last time I will be at Don Muang before the move to Suvarnabhumi Airport later this week. Thankfully the lines at Immigration were short and we were quickly walking over to the Domestic Terminal which looked like it was almost packed up ready for the move.
BKK-HKT
22 September
TG209 1045/1200
Boeing 747-400
J Class
After a couple of hours in the lounge, it was a quick flight down to Phuket. Interestingly the flight was packed to the gills in both classes, with the F section (which is normally closed) open and full. The configuration was the very old style J, which I hope will disappear soon as it was a reminder why I try to avoid Thai in J until they get their configurations sorted out. A light snack was served before landing.
SUMMARY
Overall, I found Qatar Airways to be superb in every aspect. The cabin crew in particular stood head and shoulders above my recent J class experiences on other, more established airlines - if Qatar are able to maintain their service consistency they will be a force to be reckoned with as they grow. Food and wines were excellent throughout and as I mentioned before, have a surprisingly good wine selection.
Apart from the Doha Airport (which is almost enough of a reason in itself to avoid flying to Qatar, but a new terminal is under construction and a new J/F class terminal is almost completed that will alleviate this problem), I would recommend Qatar Airways as an excellent way to travel.
